ESTADÍSTICA Y PROBABILIDAD

The goat is a ruminant, having a four-part stomach like the cow and sheep. Goats are energetic, inquisitive and versatile in their feeding habits. They are adaptable to various environments and can

consume over 90 different plants. Browse materials (trees, leaves, bushes, twigs, etc.) appears to be

advantageous and enjoyed by dairy goats. However, the importance of such materials toward the nutritional requirements of lactating dairy goats is probably quite small, especially where a fairly large number of dairy goats are being maintained.

Goats require energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber (bulk) and water. Energy (calories) is usually the most limiting nutrient, whereas protein is the most expensive. Deficiencies, excesses and imbalances of vitamins and minerals can limit animal performance and lead to various health problems. Fiber is necessary to maintain a healthy rumen environment and prevent digestive disturbances. Water is the cheapest feed ingredient and often the most neglected.

Although the goat has a great capacity for consuming fibrous feed (roughage), it needs to be given forage or good quality, such as legume hay.

15.1. Feed for goats

15.1.1. Pasture and browse

Pasture and browse are usually the primary and most economical source of nutrients especially for meat goats, and in some cases, pasture and browse are all goats need to meet their nutritional requirements. Pasture tends to be high in energy and protein when it is in a vegetative state. However, it has high moisture content, and it is difficult for a high-producing doe or fast-growing kid to eat enough grass to meet its nutrient requirements. As pasture plants mature, palatability and digestibility decline, thus it is important to rotate pastures to keep plants in a vegetative state. During the early part of the grazing season, browse (woody plants and brush) and weeds tend to be higher in protein and energy than ordinary pasture. Goats are natural browsers and have the unique ability to select plants when they are at their most nutritious state. Goats which browse have less problems

with internal parasites. 15.1.2. Hay

Hay is the primary source of nutrients for goats during the winter or non-grazing season. Hay varies in quality and the only way to know the nutritional content is to have the hay analyzed by a forage testing laboratory. Hay is a moderate source of protein and energy for goats. The energy, as well as protein content of hay depends upon the maturity of the forage when it was cut for forage. Proper curing and storage is also necessary to maintain nutritional quality. Legumes make excellent hay and are usually superior to most other hay crops because of their higher protein content. While alfalfa

hay is the best legume hay, variations may occur in quality. Good quality alfalfa hay should have a

green color, small stem, adequate in leaves and 17-20% protein. Legume hays – alfalfa, clover, – tend to be higher in protein, vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, than grass hays.

Grass hay usually varies considerably in quality. Even so, some grass hay may be used in the ration with success. Grass hay as the only roughage source may limit maximum performance. In addition to pasture and/or the forages being fed, the overall ration should be balanced with a good grain concentrate that is fortified with minerals and vitamins. The exact amount needed will vary with pasture and forage quality.

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15.1.3. Silage and haylage

Silage and haylage made from forage or grain crops have been successfully fed to goats; however, special attention must be paid to quality, as moldy silage can cause listeriosis or "circling disease" in goats. As with fresh forage, the high-producing goat cannot consume enough ‘we’ silage meet its nutritional needs.

Haylage on a goat farm with intensive husbandry system Banja Luka region

15.1.4. Concentrates (grains)

It is oftentimes necessary to feed concentrates to provide the nutrients that forage alone cannot provide. This is particularly true in the case of high-producing animals. There are also times and situations where concentrates are a more economical source of nutrients. Creep feeding and supplemental feeding of kids has been shown to increase growth weight, but should only be done to the extent that it increases profit.

There are two types of concentrate feeds:

 carbonaceous and

 proteinaceous.

Carbonaceous concentrates or ‘energy’ feeds include the cereal grains – corn, barley, wheat, oats, and rye and various by products feeds such as bran, beet root pulp etc.

One of the problems with cereal grains is that they are high in phosphorus content, but low in

calcium. Feeding a diet that is high in phosphorus and low in calcium can cause urinary calculi (kidney stones) in wethers and bucks. Inadequate calcium level can lead to milk fever in pregnant or lactating does.

Proteinaceous concentrates or protein supplements may be of animal or plant origin and include soybean meal, sunflower meal.

Protein quantity is more important than protein quality (amino acid content) in ruminant livestock since the microorganisms in the rumen manufacture their own body protein.

Goats do not store excess protein; it is burned as energy or eliminated (as nitrogen) by the kidneys. Goats should avoid plum and peach leaves and wild cherry.

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15.2. Vitamins and minerals

Many minerals are required by goats. The most important are salt, calcium, and phosphorus. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be kept around 2:1. Vitamins are needed in small amounts. Goats require vitamins A, D and E, whereas vitamin K and all the B vitamins are manufactured in the rumen. A free choice salt-vitamin-mineral premix should be made available to goats at all times, unless a premix has been incorporated into the grain ration or TMR (total mixed ration). In the very least, does should be fed pre-choice mineral during late gestation and lactation. Either a loose mineral or mineral block may be offered. Force-feeding minerals and vitamins is actually better than offering it free choice since goats will not consume minerals according to their needs.

Many soils are deficient in selenium, thus the premix should be fortified with selenium to prevent

white muscle disease in kids and reproductive problems in does. Supplementing selenium via the

feed or mineral is preferred to giving selenium injections. Goats appear to have a much higher tolerance for copper in their diets as compared to sheep, thus it is recommended that feeds and/or premixes contain copper, unless the goats are co-mingled with sheep. It is possible to get pelleted supplements that contain vitamins and minerals, as well as high levels of protein (34-40%). These supplements can be combined with whole grains to create a balanced concentrate ration.

15.3. Water

Goats should have ad libitum access to clean, fresh water at all times. A mature goat will consume between 5 l and 8 l of water per day. Inadequate water intake can cause various health problems. In addition water and feed intake are positively correlated.

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